Variant Component

R2026b

Add components with alternative designs

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Variant Component block

Alternative Configurations of Variant Component Block:
Variant Assembly Component

Description

Use a Variant Component block to create multiple design alternatives for a component.

Add ports to the block to connect to other components. Define an interface for the ports, add properties associated with the port and port colors using stereotypes, and define parameters.

To add or connect System Composer™ components:

• Add an architecture Variant Component block from the Modeling tab or the palette. You can also click and drag a box on the canvas, then select the Variant Component block. You can also create a variant component from a Component block or Reference Component block. Select the component and, on the toolstrip, click Modeling > Component > Add Variant Choice.

• To add a port, select an edge of the component and choose a direction from the menu: Input or Output

• Click and drag the port to create a connection. Connect to another component. You can also create a new component to complete the connection.

• To connect Variant Component blocks to architecture or composition model root ports, drag from the component ports to the containing model boundary. When you release the connection, a root port is created at the boundary.

Note

You can add a mask icon to your component to illustrate the system represented by your component. For more information, see Add Component Image.

To manage Variant Component choices:

• By default, two variant choices are created when you create a Variant Component block. Select the Variant Component block and, on the toolstrip, click Modeling > Component > Label Mode Active Choice, then select the active choice.

• To add an additional variant choice, select the Variant Component block and, on the toolstrip, click Modeling > Component > Add Variant Choice. When you add a variant choice, it automatically inherits the input and output ports of the Variant Component block along with the interface definitions for the ports.

• Double-click into the Variant Component block to design the variants within it.

• Use the Simulink Variant Manager (Simulink Variant Manager) to easily switch between variant choices in a complex model hierarchy. Select the Variant Component block and, on the toolstrip, click Modeling > Component > Open in Variant Manager.

Examples

Design Insulin Infusion Pump Using Model-Based Systems Engineering

Design an insulin infusion pump with variant analysis using System Composer.

• Open Live Script

Calculate Endurance Using Quadcopter Architectural Design

Design quadcopter by calculating endurance using System Composer analysis.

• Open Live Script

Add or Remove Variant Choices of Variant Assembly Component Blocks Using External File

A Variant Assembly Component block can use Model blocks, Subsystem Reference blocks, or both as its variant choices. The variant choices are maintained in a separate model and subsystem files that are on the MATLAB® path. You can add or remove the variant choices from the Variant Assembly Component block without modifying the model. You use an external source such as an enumeration class or a MATLAB function to manage the variant choices of the Variant Assembly Component block. Unlike when you use Variant Component blocks, you are not required to navigate inside the Variant Assembly Component block to add or remove the variant choices from the block. For more information, see Variant Assembly Component in Variant Component. This example explains how to manipulate Variant Choices of Variant Assembly Component Block in Label and Expression Modes.

• Open Live Script

Ports

Input

Source — Input connection from another component

interface

When you connect to a source component, the interfaces on the ports are shared.

Output

Destination — Output connection to another component

interface

When you connect to a destination component, the interfaces on the ports are shared.

Physical

Physical — Physical connection to another component

physical interface

When you connect to another component, the physical interfaces on the ports are shared.

Alternative Configurations

Variant Assembly Component — Add Model, or Subsystem Reference blocks as variant choices

Since R2023b

A Variant Assembly Component block is a template that enables you to add or remove its variant choices from external sources without modifying the model. A Variant Assembly Component block can contain Model blocks, Subsystem Reference blocks, or both as its variant choices. You specify the source of variant choices in the block parameter dialog box once and then modify the source to add or remove the variant choices from the block. Unlike Variant Component, you cannot add inline components as the variant choices inside the Variant Assembly Component block. To convert a Variant Component block to a Variant Assembly Component block, follow the steps in Convert Variant Component to Variant Assembly Component. The conversion from Variant Component to Variant Assembly Component is not supported for AUTOSAR architecture. The Variant Assembly Component is the same as the Variant Assembly Subsystem block in Simulink^®.

More About

Definitions

Term	Definition	Application	More Information
Architecture	A System Composer architecture represents a system of components and how they interface with each other structurally and behaviorally.	Different types of architectures describe different aspects of systems. You can use views to visualize a subset of components in an architecture. You can define parameters on the architecture level using the Parameter Editor.	Compose Architectures Visually Author Parameters in System Composer Using Parameter Editor
Root	A root is at the top of an architecture hierarchy. A root architecture has a boundary defined by its architecture ports that surround the system of interest.	The root architecture has a system boundary surrounding your architecture model. You can add architecture ports that define interfaces across the boundary.	Compose Architectures Visually
Model	A System Composer model is the file that contains architectural information, such as components, ports, connectors, interfaces, and behaviors.	Perform operations on a model including extracting root-level architecture, applying profiles, linking interface data dictionaries, or generating instances from model architecture. A System Composer model is stored as an SLX file.	Create Architecture Model with Interfaces and Requirement Links
Component	A component is a replaceable part of a system that fulfills a clear function in the context of an architecture. A component defines an architectural element, such as a function, another system, hardware, software, or other conceptual entity. A component can also be a subsystem or subfunction.	Represented as a block, a component is a part of an architecture model that can be separated into reusable artifacts. Transfer information between components using port interfaces and parameters. Port interfaces and parameters can be configured using the Interface Editor and the Parameter Editor.	Compose Architectures Visually Component
Port	A port is a node on a component or architecture that represents a point of interaction with its environment. A port permits the flow of information to and from other components or systems.	Component ports are interaction points on the component to other components. Architecture ports are ports on the boundary of the system, whether the boundary is within a component or the overall architecture model. The root architecture has a boundary defined by its ports.	Compose Architectures Visually Port
Connector	Connectors are lines that provide connections between ports. Connectors describe how information flows between components or architectures.	A connector allows two components to interact without defining the nature of the interaction. Set an interface on a port to define how the components interact.	Compose Architectures Visually

Term	Definition	Application	More Information
Variant	A variant is one of many structural or behavioral choices in a variant component.	Use variants to quickly swap different architectural designs for a component while performing analysis.	Create Variants
Variant control	A variant control is a string that controls the active variant choice.	Set the variant control programmatically to control which variant is active.	Set Variant Control Condition

Version History

Introduced in R2019a

R2026b: Trace port connections to variant choices

Starting in R2026b, you can trace the connections between the ports of a Variant Component block and its variant choices by clicking an input or output port on the block. Blue lines extend from the selected port to ports with the same name on the variant choices.